Candy Apple Jelly

The County Fair will be here tomorrow and this jelly has been entered into fair again. I enter it every year and every year I win a blue ribbon for it! It’s so wonderful and tastes just like a candy apple. It’s great on a biscuit but it’s better on ice cream and since it’s apple time right now – you can make this quickly and have some County Fair at your house all year long!

Candy Apple Jelly

Isn’t it pretty? I love the bright red color that the cinnamon candy brings.

1. In a large kettle, combine apple juice, candies and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Pour hot liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4-in. head space. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.

Hi there, I made this last night and it smelled so good during the cooking process. It was very easy to make. I choose to use the apple juice instead of apples, so I’m anxious to see how this taste. One question…. How long should I leave it before tasting it? How should it be stored? Refrigerator? Basement where it is cool/dark?? BTW… I ended up with 8 – 8oz Jelly Jars from this recipe.

Hi Sarah – Oh you are going to LOVE this!! I’m so excited that you made it. It won me a blue ribbon at the Oklahoma State Fair one year not too long back you know…….it’s good! I like to let mine sit 2 weeks just as a personal preference but if it’s all jelled up and that will be kind of hard to tell since it is jelly, it doesn’t get real solid like preserves or jam does, then you can eat it after 24 hours.

When I have just a bit left in the pot and not enough for a full jar I put it in a small tupperware bowl with a lid on it and since I generally make mine on Saturdays then Sunday morning we have jelly or jam on biscuits. The Candy apple is good as a glaze on cakes or inside cinnamon sugar topped donuts……….just nearly anything you can come up with besides eating it as a jelly.

I store mine on the pantry shelf where it doesn’t get direct light but the light is on in there several times a day and it is in the house so it stays room tempurature. After you pop a lid though………put it in the fridge and keep it there. Before you pop the lid, push down in the middle of that flat part to make sure it’s still sealed. If it clicks and moves up and down, open it and throw it out – do not eat it. but if the flat part is still firm, it is sealed and good to go! let me know what you think of the taste as soon as you eat some!!

I am hoping it will work for jelly on top of cookies my husband makes. He wanted an apple jelly for the these cookies so I thought I would do my part and make it. I guess we’ll see how well it does on top of cookies and then baked. I will let you know.

I have successfully made it with about 1 cup less sugar than stated but any less than that and the pectin won’t work right. But, you CAN make it without sugar and pectin if you 220F if you do not live at high altitudes and it will gel fine!

It has turned out very well! I am very pleased and the kids LOVE it! It set up like I wanted it to. I cant wait to make more and hand it out for Christmas. I have an apple tree that I take the apples from. Then for christmas I have a nice little basket for the families and have a loaf of crusty bread, crackers, jelly and apple butter with christmas candies, makes the perfect gifts! Thanks for the new Jelly!

Hi!!
I just made up a batch and wondered if you could tell me how long yours took to set? Mine turned out beautiful, tastes yummy, and my house smells amazing, but after an hour it is still just syrup…..help!!

Oh gosh – give it 24 hours at least Zoe. Then, if it’s still syrup (remember Jelly will not jell like jam) then you can pop the lids and put it back in the pan bring to a boil and let it hard boil for 60 seconds – a full minute. You can add more pectin if you like but apple has pectin in it so you really shouldn’t need to. Let me know tomorrow if it has set up or not. Kelli

WOW! I just made this and was 100% successful I did cook the final mixture about 30 seconds longer but it sure did sit perfectly! It is delicious and such a lovely color. It taste like both candy apples and apple pie. I’m about to make more because it will make perfect Christmas gifts along with some homemade bread. Thanks for passing this along. Did I mention that Anyone could do this?…Yay!

I made this yesterday, but made the mistake of adding the sugar along with the apple juice, pectin and red hots. I boiled for 2 minutes. Tastes great, but after 24 hours appears to not be setting up. Can adding the sugar too early impact the jelling process? I will wait a few days, but fear I’ve ruined the batch …

Hi Denise – yes, adding the sugar at the same time does affect it and so does letting it boil without resting for 2 minutes but – maybe we can save it. Next day you have time pop the tops (throw them away and get new flats) pour the jelly back into the sauce pot, add 1/2 box of pectin bring to a boil and boil hard for 60 seconds. Take it off the stove and then process as you did last time. It should start setting up right away! let me know please! Good luck!

Meet Kelli

My name is Kelli and I live in the southern mid-west. I learned to can fruits and vegetables when I was eight years old, from my grandmother. She taught me everything she knew and I have kept that knowledge with me for a very long time. I like to can, mostly making jelly, jam, and marmalade as a hobby. I am not a purist nor am I obsessed with not using sugar or pectin. I really enjoy the process of canning and love to learn new things that other canners might be willing to share. I hope you enjoy my blog and will contribute as often as you like!

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